How to Refill Your E-Cig Cartomizer

There are several methods for refilling e-cigarette cartomizers, but a number of these are more suited to experienced vapers. After vaping for a while and learning your equipment, chances are you will develop your own variations on whatever method you choose.

If you are new, however, and just learning about the nuances of electronic cigarettes and e-liquid, you need a straightforward, step-by-step process to get you started.

Refilling E-Cigarette Cartomizers

Things you’ll need:

An electronic cigarette cartomizer
A bottle of e-juice
Paper towels
A toothpick or unbent paper clip
A well-lit area

1. Lay down one or two layers of paper towel on a flat, well-lit surface. A small amount of e-liquid may drip through the bottom of your cartomizer, so be sure to work above the covered surface.

2. Take your toothpick or paper clip and slide it through the hole in the rubber end of your cartomizer, then use it to gently remove the rubber plug. Set the plug aside.

3. Hold the cartomizer with the open side up and toward the light, so you can easily see the filler and inside edges.

4. Gently drip 2-3 drops of eliquid around the edge of the cartomizer. Be careful to keep all liquid at the edge and avoid allowing it to drip down the center hole of the cartomizer.

5. Hold the cartomizer at a slight angle and spin it rapidly from side to side between your fingers, still keeping the open side facing up. Spin until the e-liquid has absorbed into the filler.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5, turning the cartomizer slightly each time you add more e-liquid to ensure full and even saturation. Continue doing this either until a small amount of e-liquid drips through the metal end of the cartomizer onto the paper towel, or until the top of the filler takes on a slushy appearance and absorption slows down noticeably.

7. Re-insert the rubber plug and place the cartomizer on the paper towel with the metal end down.

8. Allow the cartomizer to sit this way for at least ½ hour while the e-liquid absorbs evenly throughout the filler. This is to allow the e-liquid plenty of time to settle and saturate the area nearest the heating element, which prevents the possibility of burning the filler and using up your cartomizer prematurely. The extended wait time is only necessary for the first fill. When refilling, you’ll only need to wait about 10 minutes.

9. When the waiting period has completed, hold your cartomizer up to your mouth with a paper towel covering the metal end, and blow through the rubber end. This step removes any excess liquid, preventing it from making its way into the center of the cartomizer.

10. With a paper towel, blot and wipe the metal end of the cartomizer until it is thoroughly free of liquid.

Although the multi-step process outlined here may seem confusing, it should become second nature to you after just a few sessions. Be patient, follow the steps above, and soon you’ll be refilling your e-cigarette cartomizers like a pro.

2 Responses to “How to Refill Your E-Cig Cartomizer”

[...] off Cartomizers: Advanced Techniques A few weeks back, we talked about one method for refilling cartomizers. We mentioned in that post that for many, it’s easier to simply keep the cartomizer topped off [...]

The other day I took apart an emptie disposable ecig because I just couldn’t resist doing it. So, today I am looking at the end of my ecig’s cartridge and I noticed it had the same stopper. I removed the stopper and filled it back up. While waiting for it to sit and soak, I found your post. I just screwed on the refilled cartridge and it works like new! Yeah, a way to save money!